eBay scam Motorhome sale

[Justamil]

My brother has just had a near miss with an eBay scam concerning an Elddis Autostratus LS se 1999 advertised on auction for £10,000 and then £9,000 when the first auction expired.

This the vehicle, registration T371 DNN supposedly in Dumbarton.

First advertised as collection only. When my brother expressed an interest to buy, the seller said he could deliver to the Midlands for an additional £300 via eBay Buyer Protection Program for "extra security and peace of mind". The eBay listing disappeared (reason given as 'error in listing'). Then my brother received an eBay message offering this 'Buyer Protection Program'. This turns out to be effectively an ESCROW service, where eBay takes the buyers money and only releases it to the seller if both parties are happy with the deal. if not happy, money will be returned to buyer.

I went on-line to eBay chat-line and was told there is no such thing as the 'Buyer Protection Program' and to walk away. Also told to inform another eBay section via "spoof@ebay.com which I have done.

The vehicle is genuine according to the GOV.UK site with insurance and valid MOT and a history of MOT's is listed back as far as 2006. It is registered as a Peugeot Boxer, White, 1999.

Does anyone know of this vehicle. Is it close to you. I know it's a long shot, but it would be good if the real owner could be reached to see if he is part of the scam or an innocent owner unaware his vehicle is being used in a scam. The photos could be copied from a previous sale.

 

[pappajohn]

an innocent owner unaware his vehicle is being used in a scam. The photos could be copied from a previous sale.

Guaranteed to be this bit.

 

[Craigderby]

Normally they take the vehicle details from previous genuine adverts. You'll probably find it was for sale sometime in the last 6 months

 

[Langtoftlad]

Seller listed as in Sheffield - listing ended

 

[Justamil]

Langtoftlad,

Thanks very much for the info. Obviously as suspected, details lifted from previous eBay listing. Have tried to email original seller, await response, could be interesting.

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[sonny]

If it is a scam then hardly difficult to trap and catch them with cooperation between all parties including the police.

 

[fullfat]

Cnuts

 

[Justamil]

If it is a scam then hardly difficult to trap and catch them with cooperation between all parties including the police.

Don’t understand how you come to that conclusion.
If it’s all done over the internet via proxy servers, the interested parties will not be able to trace the perpetrators. If money had been transferred via the banks, it would probably be untraceable or found to have gone to Nigeria or China.

 

[joe and sue]

Who in their right mind would part with that much money without seeing the goods
Joe

 

[Cliffdale]

Scam



Taken down already.
Click on motorhomes, select newly listed and they will all be back in 10 minutes

Yep, now selling under name of littlejay
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/2011littlejay/m.html?item=163543791732&hash=item2613f83874:g:Io4AAOSw78xcZcmr:rk:1f:0&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

Not just motorhomes!

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[Craigderby]

We're looking at buying at the moment, so going through the new listing a few times everyday and there's at least 500 a day go on which are taken off as they're fake. Makes you wonder how many people actually fall for it.

 

[Spawn_e_git]

Follow Jack Buster on Facebook.

he's the man to root out scammers

 

[Carolyn and Kev]

There is no doubt that eBay can be a great platform to buy and to sell from. There will always be those out there who will always take advantage of a system and abuse it for their own ends. Ideally, anything of substance ( Lots of cash ) needs to be looked at with as much caution as is possible.
Our neighbour bought a wonderful car for 12k off the internet 2 months ago. They went to see it and test it etc, and eventually after seeing the paperwork and both sets of keys...bought it. Nothing wrong with what they did at all. I said that I would have been happy too with what the outcome was after its purchase.
Three days ago...the police came and took it away! It had been cloned and was actually a stolen vehicle with false plates.
What else could he have done? Honestly...I do not know?
It just goes to show that it's never all that it seems? Be careful and if push comes to shove.....leave well alone!

Kev

 

[john lillie]

as a previous post mentioned, quick check is to see what else they have for sale, usually a list of all sorts, caravans, range rovers etc, and ads often have a dodgy email address in the text with some nonsensical reason for indirect contact, if in doubt, beware, or do what I do and report it to ebay